Closed vitrectomy in the management of diabetic traction retinal detachment.

One hundred and seventy-four instances of diabetic traction retinal detachment in which the patient underwent closed vitrectomy during the period of January 1970 to December 1978 and had adequate follow-up ranging from six months to five years are reported. As a rule, eyes with vision better than 20/200, or with inaccurate light projection, or with no response to electrophysiologic tests were excluded. The surgical technique avoided stripping of vitreous membranes. Closed vitrectomy was combined with scleral buckling in eyes with retinal breaks, and with scleral resection in eyes with incomplete section of traction membranes. Anatomic improvement was noted in 75.3% of the eyes; vision improved in 64.9% of the eyes; new or recurrent vitreous hemorrhage was observed in 43.1%; corneal decompensation in 51.8%, rubeosis iridis in 23.0%, phthisis bulbi in 9.2%, iatrogenic retinal break in 8.6%, postoperative rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 5.2%, and iatrogenic cataract in 4.6%.